Portable dock



Oct. 15, 1963 R. FREIDEL ETAL PORTABLE DOCK Filed Sept. 19, 1958INVENTURS.

RUSSELL FREIDEL WALTER L UPTON orney \vi 7 V, V,

United sates Fatent 3,106,826 Patented Oct. 15, 1963 ice 3,106,826 7PORTABLE DOCK Russell Frank], 4107 NE. 60th, Vancouver, Wash, and WalterL. Upton, 136 NE. Morgan, Portland 11, Greg. Filed Sept. 19, 1958, Ser.No. 761,999 3 Claims. (Cl. 6148) This invention relates to a portabledock or platform. Although such structure is descr'bed herein as aportable dock for small boats, it is to be understood that it may beutilized for various other purposes.

In small boat outings it is frequently desirable to land the occupantson shore areas where there are no landing facilities such as docks orthe like. In such case the boat is beached at the bow and the occupantsthen jump off the bow or over the side, such occupants usually gettingwet in the process. Also, such method of landing the ;occupants isinconvenient and dangerous and of course is damaging to the boatespecially where the occupants have to make their way up to the bow tojump off.

It is an important object of the present invention to overcome thedifficulties above mentioned by providing a portable dock or platformstructure which is adapted to be placed along side a small boattofacilitate landing of the occupants onto a beach with safety andfacility and without damage to the boat.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide aportable dock which is light in weight and which folds up into a compactunit so that it can be conveniently carried on a small boat and readilyplaced over the side when the boat is beached.

A still further object is to provide a portable dock which firmlysupports and anchors itself in a selected position at the waters edge.

The illustrated embodiment of the present invention constitutes a novelportable dock or platform structure having a foldable body portion witha deck surface. This dock is supported at its ends by novel legassemblies comprising a front leg assembly which rests on the beachclose to the waters edge and a rear leg assembly which is submerged inthe water. These leg assemblies are pivot-ally mounted on the bodyportion for movement between folded, and unfoldedpositions. In theunfolded position such leg assemblies provide a firm support for theplatform and in their folded position provide a compact unit capable ofbeing conveniently carried on a small boat.

The invention will be better understood and the objects will he moreevident with reference to the description in the followingspecification. Various changes may be made in the construction andarrangement of parts with- V out departing from the spirit of theinvention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the form in its unfolded or openposition;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the platform in folded position;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of connectingstructure between the rear legs and the body of the platform, taken onthe line 33 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a leg lock plate utilized in theconnection shown in FIGURE 3;

present plat- FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary elevational view withpartsbroken away of connecting structure between the rear legs;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6--6 of FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view'through one of the rear legs showing heightadjusting means therefor, taken on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5. I

Referring first to FIGURE 1, the present portable dock or platformcomprises a body portion 10 preferably formed of a pair of sections 11and 12. Each of the sections 11 and 12 comprises a framework structureof light tubular members. Such frame has longitudinal or side members13, end members 14, and reinforcing struts 15. The two sections arepivotally connected by pins 16 disposed in apertured lug members 17integrally secured, as by welding, to lower frame members 13 of thebodysections.

The body sections 11 and 12 are provided with a deck 18 comprising alightweight material, for example, marine plywood or a lightweightmetal. With the platform supported at each end by leg assemblies to bedescribed, the adjoining ends of the platform sections at the hinge abutto provide a rigid, straight line structure. The deck 18 is preferablymounted on the body frame by screws 19 engageable with tabs 21 securedto upper frame memboss 13 and 14. i

A rear leg assembly comprises a pair of legs 20 supported on a rod orshaft 22, FIGURE 3, journaled at its opposite ends in lock plates 23,FIGURE 4, fixedly secured to the body frame members 13, the legs 20having an aperture 24 at their upper ends to receive a pivot pin 26supported in a pair of downwardly projecting cars 27 integrally securedon opposite sides of the rod 22.

Each of the plates 23 has anupper apertured portion 28 and a lowerinclined channeled or recessed portion 29. The recessed portion of theplates 23 is dimensioned to receive the legs 20, FIGURE 3. By sucharrangement it will be seen that when the legs are seated in therecesses 29 they are angled outwardly and locked firmly against pivotalmovement with their rod 22. However, when the legs are moved to avertical position, as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 3, they will clearthe recesses 29 and be capable of pivoting with the rod longitudinallyof the body portion so as to be folded upwardly against the bottom ofthe body.

For the purpose of holding the legs apart in engagement with therecesses 29, or for pulling the legs together to'clear the recesses 29,there is provided an overcenter link connection between the two legscomprising a pair of links 32 and'33 each pivotally connected at oneendto the respective legs by lugs 34 on the legs. The outer end of link 32is cut away at the bottomthereof to receive the end of link 33, FIGURE5, and the links are pivotally connected together by a pin 35projecti'n'g through the link 35 adjacent the latters free end andprojecting through link 32 at a point spaced inwardly from the endthereof, whereby the portion of the link 32 which extends beyond thepivot point serves as a stop to prevent breaking of this jointdownwardly. The links 32 and 33 are held in their closed or unbrokenposition by an overcenter arrangement of the pivot pin.

By pivoting links 32 and 33 upwardly on pivot 35 to their dotted lineposition of FIGURE 1, the legs-2t} are drawn together and move out ofthe recesses 29 in the plates 23, whereby the leg assembly can bepivoted longitudinally of the body portion with the rod 22, the lateralpivotal movement of the legs 20 being on pins 26. The lower ends of therear legs 20 receive in telescoping relation upright posts or standards36 having bottom foot plates 37. Legs 20 havesplit structure at the bot-3 to provide a firm footing of the one end of the platform in sand.

The front leg assembly comprises a pair of substantially horizontal legs42 pivotally mounted on lugs 43 fixedly secured to the body section 12 ashort distance inwardly from the end. The legs 42 are curved somewhat,as shown, and carry on their outer ends an anchor member 44, which asillustrated preferably comprises an angle bar. As seen in FIGURE 1, thefront leg assembly is free to pivot longitudinally of the body portionand can rotate to a position where it abuts the end frame of section 12.Such abutting position comprises the unfolded position of the front legassembly and by reason of the curvature of the legs, this end of theplatform is supported a short distance above the ground so thatoccupants using the platform can conveniently step on or off this end.

The overall length of the front legs is substantially that of the rearlegs so that when the front legs are in a substantially verticalposition they will support the platform in a horizontal plane, wherebysuch platform may be used if desired as a table. a

In normal cruising operations of the boat the platform is folded asshown in FIGURE 2 and carried in the boat, the leg assemblies beingfolded against the bottom of their respective body sections. When theboat is beached at the bow the unit is unfolded and placed over theside. The anchor bar 44 embeds in the sand adjacent the waters edge andthe legs 20 are disposed in the water, the length adjustment of the legs20 to level the platform being determined by the slope of the beach.With the dock in place, the occupants can then conveniently step overthe side of the boat.

By reason of the anchoring means of the front leg assembly, as well asthe firm footing established by the rear leg assembly, the dock will notsway or slide while in use.

Having now described our invention and in what manner the same may beused, what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A portable dock comprising a body portion carrying a deck surfacethereon, a leg assembly pivotally mounted on one end of said bodyportion, a transverse shaft pivotally mounted on the opposite end ofsaid body portion, pairs of downwardly depending ear means fixed to saidshaft adjacent opposite ends thereof, a pair of legs, hinge meansconnecting said legs to said ear means for movement of said legslaterally between retracted and spread positions, said legs beingpivotally movable with said shaft to a folded position parallel withsaid body portion, and a pair of channel-shaped lock means on the bodyportion extending downwardly and outwardly of the body, said lock meansopening toward each other and being adapted to receive said legs, saidlegs being received in said lock means in said spread position forlocking them against longitudinal pivotal movement and being disengagedfrom said lock means in said retracted position for permittinglongitudinal pivotal movement thereof into said folded position.

2. A portable dock comprising a body portion carrying a deck surfacethereon, a first leg assembly pivotally mounted on one end of the bodyportion, a pair of legs on the opposite end of the body portion,laterally extending shaft means rotat-ably mounted on said body portion,hinge means connecting said pair of legs to said shaft for lateralswinging movement, whereby said legs have pivotal movementlongitudinally of the body portion with said shaft means into a foldedposition and have pivotal movement laterally of said body portion onsaid hinge means for movement between retracted and spread positions,and a pair of channel-shaped lock means on the body portion openingtoward each other and extending downwardly and outwardly of the bodyportion, said lock means receiving said legs in said spread position forlocking the latter against longitudinal pivotal movement of said legsbeing disengaged from said lock means in said retracted position forlongitudinal pivotal movement into said folded position. a

3. A portable dock for use in unloading passengers from a boat on asloping beach comprising a body portion having forward and rearward endsand formed of a pair of pivotally interconnected lightweight framesections, a deck on said body portion, a first leg assembly pivotallyconnected at one of its ends to said body portion inwardly of theforward end and sides of the latter and on the underside of the deck,said first leg assembly having a folded rearwardly directed positionparallel with and adjacent the underside of said deck and an unfoldedsubstantially horizontal forwardly directed position, said first legassembly being of a length sufficient to project forwardly of said bodyportion in its horizontal position wherein the forward end of the bodyportion rests upon said leg assembly, anchor means on the forward end ofsaid first leg assembly for engaging a beach and supporting said end ofthe body portion adjacent the water's edge in the unfolded position ofsaid first leg assembly, and a second leg assembly pivotally connectedto said body portion adjacent the rearward end of the latter and havinga folded forwardly directed position parallel with and adjacent theunderside of said deck and an unfolded vertical body supportingposition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS963,918 Miller July 12, 1910 r 1,232,437 Simpson July 3, 1917 1,358,951Helmich Nov. 16, 1920 1,566,427 Renau Dec. 22, 1925 1,975,049Middlebrook Sept. 25, 1934 2,624,058 Kudrna Jan. 6, 1953 2,652,694Melges Sept. 22, 1953 2,683,069 Kimmel July 6, 1954 2,736,626 Inpyn Feb.28, 1956 2,760,838 Greacen Aug. 28, 1956 2,831,687 Hunter Apr. 22, 19582,832,648 Goosmann Apr. 29, 1958 2,906,319 Goldstein Sept. 29, 19592,948,121 Karst Aug. 9, 1960

1. A PORTABLE DOCK COMPRISING A BODY PORTION CARRYING A DECK SURFACETHEREON, A LEG ASSEMBLY PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON ONE END OF SAID BODYPORTION, A TRANSVERSE SHAFT PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE OPPOSITE END OFSAID BODY PORTION, PAIRS OF DOWNWARDLY DEPENDING EAR MEANS FIXED TO SAIDSHAFT ADJACENT OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF, A PAIR OF LEGS, HINGE MEANSCONNECTING SAID LEGS TO SAID EAR MEANS FOR MOVEMENT OF SAID LEGSLATERALLY BETWEEN RETRACTED AND SPREAD POSITIONS, SAID LEGS BEINGPIVOTALLY MOVABLE WITH SAID SHAFT TO A FOLDED POSITION PARALLEL WITHSAID BODY PORTION, AND A PAIR OF CHANNEL-SHAPOED LOCK MEANS ON THE BODYPORTION EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY OF THE BODY, SAID LOCK MEANSOPENING TOWARD EACH OTHER AND BEING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE SAID LEGS, SAIDLEGS BEING RECEIVED IN SAID LOCK MEANS IN SAID SPREAD POSITON FORLOCKING THEM AGAINST LONGITUDINAL PIVOTAL MOVEMENT AND BEING DISENGAGEDFROM SAID LOCK MEANS IN SAID RETRACTED POSITION FOR PERMITTINGLONGITUDINAL PIVOTAL MOVEMENT THEREOF INTO SAID FOLDED POSITION.